Product Description

An insider's revealing look at the hidden world of major league baseball

Doug Glanville, a former major league outfielder and Ivy League graduate, draws on his nine seasons in the big leagues to reveal the human side of the game and of the men who play it.

In The Game from Where I Stand, Glanville shows us how players prepare for games, deal with race and family issues, cope with streaks and slumps, respond to trades and injuries, and learn the joyful and painful lessons the game imparts. We see the flashpoints that cause misunderstandings and friction between players, and the imaginative ways they work to find common ground. And Glanville tells us with insight and humor what he learned from Jimmy Rollins, Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson, Barry Bonds, Curt Schilling, and other legendary and controversial stars.

In his professional career, Glanville experienced every aspect of being a player—the first-round pick, the prospect, the disappointment, the can't-miss, the cornerstone, the veteran, the traded, the injured, the comeback kid. His eye-opening book gives fans a new level of understanding of day-to-day life in the big leagues. 

Customer Reviews (19)

Delivered when promised
This book was ordered for my grandson. It was shipped quickly and arrived in good condition.

We're All Glanville Fans Now
Baseball fans should read this book because they will learn what the average better-than-average player experiences. Glanville gives the reader a glimpse into various aspects of a player's career and life, with occasional insight and frequent personal perspective. The writing surpasses what you would expect from a former player, but is burdened by cliches and stunted prose. Well, OK, just because the guy graduated from University of Pennsylvania doesn't mean he's Martin Cruz Smith (I hate Martin Cruz Smith anyway), but he doesn't have to be to reach his audience. The book and its author have maturity, thoughtfulness, and even wisdom; but I find Glanville's New York Times columns to be better written, and more nuanced. Still, I enjoyed this book and recommend it to everyone who loves the game. If you weren't a fan of Doug Glanville the player, this book will make you a fan of Doug Glanville the man.

Don't play the race card
A good enough book.Nothing exciting.He did tend to repeat certain information over and over, but tolerable.I gave the 2 star rating which otherwise would have been a 3-4 star rating, but Doug has to pull the race card which I would not have expected from him.Dear Doug, When a car salesman goes 0 for 4 on a Saturday he does not get paid.When you went 0 for 4 on a Saturday you still got paid.When a Mercedes dealer sees a man of any color stroll in dressed like he should be buying a used Dodge the immediate thought is that you are going to spend two hours with this guy and he's going to "think about it" and you will never see him again.Meanwhile, the guy who came dressed to buy a Mercedes just bought one in a half hour from the other salesman who will now be able to take his wife to a nice dinner.I'm not saying he was a good salesman, but I am saying the fact that you immediately went "there" seriously reduces my previously high opinion of you.

Incredibly insightful
This book is a great read. He provides a perspective unlike anything I have ever read about baseball. As a former major leaguer he lets you into the life of a Major League ball player, and all the stresses and benefits that come from it. A definite must read.

Inside look that's not that deep
I was somewhat disappointed by this book. As another reviewer said, it seemed like Glanville was trying to hard not to say anything controversial, especially about the steroid problem. I also found him somewhat self-absorbed, complaining about how hard it was for him to move his car from one city to another. (You know, when you make millions a year you can buy another car, Doug). Glanville seems unable to understand why there are less blacks in the league than 20 years ago. I'm not an Ivy Leaguer, but I can answer that question: 1. black kids today prefer the NBA or NFL to baseball, and 2. you may have noticed lots of Latino ballplayers in the league. The book wasn't terrible, but I would have preferred a more outspoken writer , perhaps Curt Schilling. ... Read more